Inking device for printing machines



Nov. 11 19:24 1,514.991

I w. H. REES INKING DEVICE FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 30. 1923raven/U01; Mlliam If. Re es,

P MJM A ttarney.

' Dos Angeles, in the county Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC Application'filed October 30, 1928. SerialN0. 671,699.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, WIILIAM H. Rnns, a citizen of the United States,residing at g of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented anew and useful Inking Device for Printing Machines, of which aspecification is set forth below. p

In this specification, and the accompanying drawing, I shall describeand show a preferred form of'my invention, and specificallymentioncertain of its moreimportant' objects. I do not limit myself tothe'forms" disclosed, since various changes and adapta tions may be madetherein without departing from the essence of. my invention ashereinafter claimed; and objects and ad vanta es, other than thosespecifically mention are included within its scope.

' My invention relates to inking devices adapted for use with varioustypes of rotary printing machines and its objects are, first, to providemeans for distributing ink on the inking rollers of such machines in amore uniform and satisfactory manner than has hitherto been possible;second, to afi'ord facilities for using ink varying considerably inconsistency, and including relatively hard inks; and, third, toaccomplish the above results in a device of cat simplicity which adaptsitself to varying conditions and in which no delicate adjustments arerequired.

My objects are attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which I have shown my invention applied to I a machine forimprinting spherical articles such as walnuts or the like. In this draw-%igure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of such a machine;

Fig. 2 is a similar View side of the same, 1

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinalsection of the machinein elevation;and

Fi re 4 is a plan view of one of the ink ountains of my device, andthemeans by which the ink is taken therefrom.

In my device the ink supply is contained in one or more shallow o n pans2, when there is a plurality of t ese they are arranged in a rowperpendicular to the picture plane of Fig. 3. Each of the pans iscentrally pivoted at 3 and, when there is a plurality, each is mountedupon an individual elevating block 4, adapted to be variof the oppositeis adapted to with means for holding it in any desired angular position.p

The ink 12, by reason of its semi-solid or pasty nature, will not flowappreciably in thepans by reason of their tipping, with the lapse ofconsiderable: time. In use, the pans are intermittently turned a fewdegrees at short intervals, in a manner to be explained, and the body ofink therefore remains 'of substantially uniform thickness'.

Above the row of ink fountains, and parallel therewith, the finger shaft13 is journalled upon the frame of the machine. This shaft carries atransverse bracket 14 above each of the fountains, and located to oneside of the center thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. Pivoted to therespective extremities, of these brackets at 15 are trough-shapedfingers 16. The revolution of shaft 13 causes these fin ers to dragacross the surface of the ink dy, as shown in dotted lines 17 in Fig. 3,and in so doing they pick up a small quantity of ink on their flatbottoms. The amount'of ink thus picked up is controlled by the elevationof tilting board 7.

In Fig. 3 the'right hand finger 16 has just left-the surface of the inkand carries a small quantity of the latter at its free extremity 18. Themanner in which it is pivoted to bracket 14, under the action ofgravity, to assume the position shown at the right of the finger shaft.It will maintain this position with respect to the revolving shaft untilthe revolution of-the latter carries it to the. point where gravity willcause it to fall down upon prlmary roll 19. It will then occupy theposition of the left hand finger 1650f Fig. 3. The ink at its extremitywill thus be deposited upon roll 19 with asmack, tending to flatten andspread the ink upon the sur- 105 except permits this finger,

and be dragged across the surface of the ink-body in the fountain in themanner described, and the cycle will be contactjof the fingers with'theink. This perio'dicand irre ular turning of, the foun-t,

troughs in the" ink bod tains eeps the ngers fromfgouging out "Beneathprimary r0 rolls and'21, floatingly journall'ed in vertif cal'fslots"2'2in the frame oflthe machine.

All three of these rolls arein frictional e'ng agement due to their suerposed weight.

larger in diameter thanthe others and: is preferably covered with afairly thick layer 1 he'lowermo'st roll 23; oft e series is made offelt" or similar absorbent l materialL This 1 rollis-'fixedlyfpositioned and iswpositively driven in a convenient manner,as by the pur gear "24 shown; in Fig, 2. R011, 21, i

above it, is also spur gear 25. n p

"The ink deposited upon roll 19 is positively driven by the "withtherollaboveit, with afairly even sup ly'of deposit of ink. The processis repeated again as to, roll 21' whic becomes more evenly coated."Infasimilar manner the roll 23 secures a still more uniformly deposited;

ink which saturates its absorbent su ace-[ f r The inking ro1l26 is"pivoted at29 Ito adjustably positioned blocks 30,- on the side frames ofthe machine. .The weight of thei inki'n roll is normally,v sustainedbyfroll 23 w ich k eps it supplied wilththe proper amount of evenlydistributed are adjusted in such a manner that when the marking dies'c'omeunder' the inking roll they lift it slightly away fromfroll 23'.At 5 :these times therefore the weight of the inkin'g roll is sustainedby themarkin dies .so that'the "inking of the dies, is a waysaccomplished-under the same pressure and the Eiipheral speeds "oftheinking roll andmar g-dies arenecessarily identical;

Innthemachineillustrated, which as previously stated i's'usedfor markingwalnuts and similarly shaped articlesf-I prefer to cover the surface oftheinkingroll with ailayerof thin silk. Obviously, however,

other surface coverings may be employed,

19 are two similar v squeezed but thin in passing'between it'and roll 20"and the latter'becomes coated, by contact,

foruth is purpose through chain 32 and sprocket 33 as seen in Fig. 1.Gear 34 is mounted at the other endfof this sprocket shaft as shown inFig. 2. -It drives the fin er. shaft .13. through gears 35 and 36; anroll '23 through gears 37, 38 and 24. Sprocket 40 drives the speciallyshaped drum 4=1 for holding the articles to be imprinted, and the largegear 42 atthe other end of this drum shaft drives gear 43 and throughdrum 44, on which the marking It will be seen from the foregoindescription that my invention comp etely avoids the necessity for usingductor rolls and similar devices and that it has many advantages thatwill appeal to those having anflinterest in this art.

I claim:

- dies are mounted.

11- An inking device comprising one or a more centrally pivoted circularfountains; and yieldable fingers adapted to revolve in a vertical planeabove said fountains and-to drag eccentrically. across the surface ofink therewithin to become inked while causing said fountains to rotate.

2L An "inking device comprising one or more centrally pivotedcircularfountains;

yieldable fingers adapted to revolve in a vertical' 'plane above saidfountains and to drag eccentrically across the surface of ink p 1 s; V,therewithiri to become inked whilecausin j'ournalled at 27 to. 7' thefreeextremities of a pair ofarms 28-,

said fountains to rotate and means for vari- ;ably elevating saidfountains'by tilting. Y

' 3,' An' inking device comprising-one or more centrally pivotedcircular fountains;

yie1dablefingers adapted to revolve in a vertical planeabove saidfountains and to "drag eccentrically across the surface of inktherewithin to become inked while causin said fountains to rotate and anink rofi with which said fingers are adapted'to contact to deposit inkthereupon.

4. an inking device comprisin one or more centrally pivoted circularountains;

yieldable fingers adapted to revolve in a vertical plane above saidfountains and to drag eccentrically across the surface of inktherewithin to become inked while causirlilg said fountains torotate;and a-series of r0 upon which said fingers are adapted to deposit ink; f

.5. An' inlnfng device comprising oneor more centrally pivoted circularfountains;

'yieldable fingers adapted to' revolve in a vertical plane above saidfountains and to drag eccentrically across the surface of inktherewithin-to become inked whilecausin said fountains to rotate; aseries of re upon which said fingers are adapted to deposit ink; and afloating ink roll adapted normally to be supported by the last roll ofsaid series and to be raised therefrom and 5 be supported by markingdies while being inked.

6. An inking device comprising one or more centrally pivoted circularfountains; yield-able fingers adapted to revolve in a 10 verticalplaneabove said fountains and to normally to be supported drageccentrically across the surface of ink therewithin to become inkedwhile causing said fountains to rotate; a series of rolls upon whichsaid fingers are adapted to deposit ink; and a floating ink roll adaptedby the last roll of said series and to be raised therefrom and besupported by marking dies; said last roll having an ink absorbentsurface.

WILLIAM H. REES.

